The main objective of the ZeeWaste4EU project is to provide a specific age group between 18 and 24 years old, the so-called Generation Z, with additional knowledge and skills on an innovative approach to waste management focussing on food waste (FW). A further aim was to increase young people's understanding and awareness of their responsibilities in relation to FW management and the use of natural resources. To achieve this, it is necessary to strengthen young people's sense of responsibility and enable them to develop and implement effective FW prevention on a personal level and within their families and friends. Furthermore, through the project we aim to reshape Generation Z's relationship with food resources so that they adopt smarter lifestyles, sustainable consumption patterns and place more emphasis on the prevention of FW. To prepare young people to think critically about FW, the project developed benchmarks on FW in each partner country (PR 1), a data analysis on FW among young people (PR 2), educational materials on FW tailored to young people (PR 3), a self-assessment of FW prevention skills in digital form (PR 4) and the development and maintenance of the online education hub (PR 5) responsible for FW management.
The project partners applied for this project to tackle the important issue of waste management, because according to the latest Eurostat data, the EU produces around 2.2 billion tonnes of waste every year. This means that 224.8 million tonnes of municipal waste is generated, which corresponds to an average of 513 kg per person per year. Each year, the EU produces around 86 million tonnes of biowaste, a significant proportion of which is food waste. It is estimated that around 59 million tonnes of food is wasted in the EU each year, which is around 127 kg per person per year, to which young people make a significant contribution. The EU has made separate waste collection one of its key objectives for the coming period, emphasising that effective waste management is priority. The EU is actively working to reduce waste, especially food waste, through various initiatives and strategies. Therefore, the project aims to address the challenges related to food systems, which play a crucial role in economic growth and sustainability in the EU. By focussing on the entire food production cycle, from processing to consumption and recycling of food waste, the project is in line with the EU's objectives to promote environmental sustainability.